Question: First consider the expression for: Take the product of $2$ and $x$ and add $8$. Now select the answer that matches the following: The sum of $9$ and the product of $-2$ and that expression.
Let's break this problem into smaller and easier pieces. What is the product of $2$ and $x$ $2 \times x = \color{orange}{2x}$ What does adding $8$ to $2x$ do? $2x$ $ + 8$ What is the quantity of $-2$ times that expression $-2 \times (2x + 8) = \color{orange}{-2(2x+8)}$ What is the sum of $9$ and $\color{orange}{-2(2x+8)}$ $-2(2x+8)$ $ + 9$ So the entire expression we're considering can be written as $-2(2x+8)+9$.